What an amazing couple of weeks of tennis we just had. Who else was glued to the TV hahaha!

As you might know, big sporting events are known for big moments, big crowds and unfortunately, big bins of waste. But the Australian Open proved that it doesn’t have to be this way anymore. While players were smashing aces on the court, thousands of single-use cups and dishes were replaced with a reuse system designed to operate at scale!

Whether you are already living low-waste or just starting to notice how much rubbish large events can generate, this is one of those stories that feels like a huge win.

Reuse at Scale on a Global Stage

As part of the AO StartUps program, Bettercup, a Melbourne-based start up delivered offsite washing services for reusable cups, dishes and bowls used throughout Melbourne Park. The system was rolled out across key locations including the Courtside Bar, the Layla Street mezze outlet and selected venues in Garden Square.

Instead of single-use items being thrown away, used cups and containers were collected from the precinct, transported to Bettercup’s Melbourne wash hub, professionally washed, and returned to the Australian Open to be used again. It sounds simple, but delivering this kind of circular system in a live, high-pressure sporting environment is anything but. 

Bettercup co-founder Christie Kamphuis described the Australian Open as the kind of environment where sustainable systems are tested, refined and strengthened through real-world experiences. It was sustainability under pressure, and it worked (woohoo)!

The Numbers Behind the Impact

During the first week of the Australian Open, Bettercup washed more than 60,000 reusable cups, dishes and bowls proving that sustainability really can score at the Grand Slam! 

Looking beyond the Open, Bettercup’s broader impact is just as impressive. Since launching in Melbourne in 2018, the team has supplied more than 2.8 million reusable cups to over 2,200 events and venues, with each cup being used an estimated 500 times (thats a lot). In doing so, they have helped eliminate an estimated 550,000 kilograms of single-use waste from landfill. That is not a small behaviour change. That is a systems shift.

Designed for Real Life, Not Just Good Intentions

Bettercup isn't just about making reusable cups and plates, they're about making reuse work smoothly for everyone. Their locally manufactured products, dedicated offsite washing hub and carefully designed systems that cover logistics, storage, return rates and human behaviour play a big roll in the program's success. 

As Christie noted during the tournament, small hiccups can pile up quickly when your operating at this scale. Collecting, transport and washing thousands of items every day if the Australian Open takes reliable systems and thats when reuse stops being just and idea and becomes real infrastructure 

Beyond the Final Match

The most powerful sustainable solutions are the ones that make better choices easier. Bettercup delivered exactly that on one of the world’s biggest sporting stages. They showed that reusable systems can work even when the crowd is huge and the pace is fast, proving single-use doesn’t have to be the default.

Whilst the Australian Open may be over for another year, the impact of what was achieved will last sooooo much longer. Change really does stick when innovative ideas, teamwork and practical solutions come together. And if reuse can work at the Australian Open, it can work pretty much anywhere!

Ready for another Feel Good story? Check out our blog here about the UK's first fully electric football stadium.  

With Love,
Ellie xox